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Lebanon should resort to recycling its solid waste

Lebanon should resort to recycling its solid waste in a bid to secure enough raw materials for local industrial sectors, said Fadi Gemayel, president of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists.

"Around 30 percent of the garbage in Lebanon can be recycled and we should definitely resort to this solution in a bid to save our sectors from a shortage in raw materials," he said during a meeting at the association's headquarters in the presence of ALI's board of directors.

"This would also provide a partial solution to the current garbage crisis," he said.

Lebanese have become increasingly aware of the importance of recycling following the garbage crisis that hit the country more than two weeks ago. Massive mounds of garbage accumulated on streets in Beirut and Mount Lebanon after Sukleen suspended trash collection following the closure of the Naameh landfill.

This has prompted environmental campaigners and industrialists to call for a long-term solution for disposing of Lebanon's waste.

"We call upon Lebanese authorities to adopt solutions that are in the benefit of the country's economy," Gemayel said.

He also urged the Cabinet to hold a meeting with the private and public sectors to discuss possible solutions for the coming period.

"Recycling should be part of this solution because the generated materials can be used in the production process of industrial and agricultural goods which can be exported later on," he said.

He added that recycling is a necessary option for maintaining healthy manufacturing and agriculture industries, especially as these two sectors provide job opportunities for thousands of Lebanese.

Gemayel said that European countries such as Sweden recycle 36 percent of their garbage, which gives great added value to its economy.